Game apparatus.



N0- 830,344. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

' A. MARK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 10, 1906.

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vertically-arranged face-plate 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE.

ANTHONY MARK, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

GAME APPARATUS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed March 10, 1906. Serial No. 305,361.

mington, in the county of Newcastle and- State of Delaware, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to. an improvement in game apparatus comprehending a simple inexpensive device requiring more or less skill for its successful operation.

The main object of the present invention is the production of a device in which an automatically-propelled ball is adapted to enter one or the other of a series of pockets, all of which are normally open at the bottom, a manually-operable means being provided by which any one of the pockets may be closed to retain the ball within the pocket in the event the operator is skilful enough to direct it to said pocket.

The preferred details of construction will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 s a front elevation of a game apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a base 1 of any suitable material, to which near one edge is secured a The base beyond the face-plate 18 provided with side and end walls 3 and 4, forming with the faceplate a receiver 5, open at the top to permit free access thereto for a purpose which will later appear.

To the opposite ends of the face-plate are secured the side strips 6 of the apparatus, which extend some distance above the top of the face-plate and support near their upper ends a head-plate 7, practically coextensive in thickness with the thickness of the faceplate 2 and supporting an ornamental top plate 8 at the upper edge thereof. Between the face-plate 2 and head-plate 7 is arranged a closed chamber 9, preferably by securing a thin partition 10 in alinement with the rear surfaces of the face and head plates, and by suitably fixing a glass or other transparent plate 11 near the surfaces of the head and face plates. The head and face plates are of such thickness and the plates 10 and 11 so arranged as to provide between said plates a chamber 9 of the desired size.

A propelling device is arranged for communi cation with the chamber 9, comprising a cylinder 12, secured to one of the side strips 6 of the apparatus and in open communication with the chamber 9 through an opening in said strip. A plunger 13 is mounted for reciprocation in the cylinder through the medium of a stem 14, provided with a handle 15 beyond the closed end of the cylinder and by a coil-spring 16 encircling said stem and bearing at its respective ends against the plunger and closed end of the cylinder. Ad-

jacent the connection with the strip 6 thecylinder 12 is formed with an opening 17, through which the projectiles, such as a ball or the like, may be introduced in to the cylinder in advance of the plunger 13.

Within the chamber 9, near the upper end thereof, but below the entrance of the propelling device thereto, the chamber 9 is provided with a series of transverse abutments 18, which are regularly spaced apart and in alinement longitudinally of the cylinder. These abutments are preferably rounded on their upper surface and fill the space between the plates 10 and 11, being so spaced apart as to permit the ready passage therebetween of the ball or projector introduced into the chamber by the propelling device. Below the abutments 18 are arranged a series of partitions 19, preferably rounded on their upper edges and extending to and terminating slightly above the lower end of the chamber. These partitions are arranged in alinement longitu dinally of the chamber and are so spaced apart as to permit the passage of the projectiles between them, being arranged, however, somewhat closer than the abutments 18 and preferably offset from vertical alinement with said abutments. The partitions of course extend transverse the chamber 9, filling the space between the respective plates 10 and 11 and providing a series of pockets open at the lower ends and in communication with an opening 20, formed in the rear plate 10 immediately above the face-plate 2, the upper edge of the face-plate forming the lower wall of the opening and being shaped at 23 to direct the projectiles falling between said partitions into the receptacle 5. As thus constructed the projectile introduced under force from the propelling device will find its way between two of the abutments 1S and-into the pocket formed between two of the partitions 19, passing from said pocket into the receptacle 5. In order, however, to retain the projectile in one of the pockets and to permit the operator to arrange any one of the particular pockets for the retention of the projectile, I provide what I term a keeper 24, comprising an arm formed at the upper end with an inwardly-projecting extension 25-, designed to fit in the opening 20 and of sufficient size to close the outlet between any two of the partitions 19, thereby providing a closed pocket from which the projectile if lodged therein will not be permitted to escape. The keeper 24 extends vertically from a bar 26, slidably mounted in a horizontally-arranged way 27, formed in and extending entirely through the face-plate 2, the upper and lower walls of said way being preferably centrally grooved at 28 and the bar 26 provided with a tongue 29 to extend above and below the bar and slide within said grooves, whereby to permit movement of the slide-bar under guidance of said tongue. The forward end of the slide-bar is provided with a handle 30, preferably resting against the surface of the faceplate, whereby the keeper may be moved in alinement with the desired pocket. The up per end of the handle is preferably formed to provide an arrow-head 31, the point being arranged in transverse alinement with the projection 25 of the keeper, so that the operator may readily'determine with which pocket the keeper is cooperating under the particular arrangement of the parts.

In use the pockets provided between the partitions 19 are to be suitably numbered or otherwise marked to indicate a particular result in the game being played, and the keeper 24 is moved to close the particular pocket desired by the operator. The projectile is then introduced into the propelling device, the plunger being withdrawn through the medium of a handle 15. Upon release of said handle the projectile is forced into the chamher 9 under the power of the spring 16 and will find its way between the abutments 18 and into one or the other of the pockets provided between the partitions 19. If the operators manipulation of the keeper is correct and the pocket closed by said keeper is the one into which the projectile falls, he is entitled to count the number indicated for said pocket or to otherwise receive a profit so indicated in accordance with the terms of the particular use of the device. If the projectile, however, falls within any pocket other than that closed by the keeper, it will find its way directly to the receptacle 5, thereby nullifying the efforts of the player and of course not adding to his result in the game.

The movement of the keeper and its arran ement with relation to any particular poc ct is within the sole control of the operator, and he may adjust said keeper to close any particular pocket desired, the operation requiring but a sliding movement of the I keeper until the point 31 of the handle is po- 1 sitioned opposite the desired pocket, the transparency of the plate 11 enabling the operator to readily see the pockets and accurately determine the position of the keeper.

The structure is simple and readily adapted for a number of gamessuch, for exame ple, as giving the pockets a series of numbers and permitting them to count one or any other determinate figure for the player in the event a projectile falls through the pocket not closed by the keeper and only counting for the player the numb er borne by the pocket in the event the particular pocket in which the projectile falls has been previously closed by the operation of the keeper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A game apparatus comprising a propelling device, a chamber in communication therewith, a series of pockets arranged within the chamber and open at the bottom, and manually-operable means to close either of said pockets.

2. A game apparatus comprising a propelling device, a chamber in communication therewith, a series of spaced partitions arranged within the chamber, and manuallyoperable means for bridging the space between any two adjacent partitions.

3. A game apparatus comprising a propelling device, a chamber in open communication therewith, a series of pockets arranged within the chamber and. open at the bottoms, a receptacle in open communication with said pockets and manually-operable means for closing any particular pocket to prevent the passage therethrough to the receptacle of a projectile.

4. A game apparatus comprising a propelling device, a chamber in open communication therewith, a series of spaced partitions arranged within the chamber and forming pockets open at bottom, manually-operable means for closing any particular pocket, and a series of spaced abutments arranged above said pockets.

5. A game apparatus comprising a face- .plate, spaced plates secured to and extending upwardly from the face-plate to provide a chamber, partitions arranged in parallel spaced relation and filling the space between said plates, and a keeper slidably mounted in the face-plate and arranged to close the space between any two of the partitions.

6. A game apparatus comprising a faceplate, spaced plates secured to and extending u wardly from the face-plate to provide a c amber, partitions arranged in arallelspaced relation and filling the space etween said plates, and a keeper slidably mounted in the faceplate and arranged to close the space between any two of the partitions, and a series of abutments arranged in alinement longitudinally of the chamber and above the partitions.

7. A game apparatus comprising a faceplate, spaced plates secured to and extending upwardly from the face-plate to provide a chamber, partitions arranged in parallelspaced relation and filling the space between said plate, and a keeper slidably mounted in the face-plate and arranged to close the space between any two of the partitions, and a series of abutments arranged in alinement longitudinally of the chamber and above the partitions, said abutments being offset from vertical alinement with the partitions.

8. A game apparatus comprising a faceplate, spaced plates secured to and extending upwardly from the face-plate to provide a chamber, partitions arranged in parallelspaced relation and filling the space between said plate, and a keeper slidably mounted in the face-plate and arranged to close thespace between any two of the partitions, and a series of abutments arranged in alinement longitudinally of the chamber and above the partitions, said abutments being offset from vertical alinement with the partitions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANTHONY MARK. Witnesses:

JOHN GILL, JOHN BRADEN. 

